Every free agent decision in the NFL comes down to one word:

Money.

The salary cap-tracking website Spotrac does its best to answer all money-related questions regarding NFL free agency. One of Spotrac’s most famous tools is its “market value” projection, which uses comparable contracts from recent NFL history to predict the annual salary a free agent will command.

Those numbers are live for the New York Jets’ 2026 free agents. Here are the expected market values for each unrestricted free agent, per Spotrac:

G Alijah Vera-Tucker ($12.8M)

RB Breece Hall ($10.4M)

LB Quincy Williams ($9.2M)

S Tony Adams ($6.5M)

G John Simpson ($6.3M)

K Nick Folk ($4.8M)

QB Tyrod Taylor ($4.0M)

S Andre Cisco ($3.6M)

EDGE Micheal Clemons ($3.5M)

S Isaiah Oliver ($2.9M)

LB Mykal Walker ($2.2M)

WR Tyler Johnson ($2.2M)

OT Max Mitchell ($1.7M)

DT Jay Tufele ($1.6M)

DT Khalen Saunders ($1.5M)

WR Josh Reynolds ($1.5M)

TE Stone Smartt ($1.4M)

RB Khalil Herbert ($1.4M)

TE Jelani Woods ($1.3M)

CB Ja’Sir Taylor ($1.1M)

No value listed: OT Chukwuma Okorafor, RB/KR Kene Nwangwu, FB Andrew Beck, CB Kris Boyd

Takeaways

The most notable projection is certainly Alijah Vera-Tucker’s. Despite his poor track record of durability, Spotrac still expects the versatile lineman to command an eight-figure salary.

For AVT, a $12.8 million salary, especially if it comes on a one-year deal or a two-year deal with limited second-year guarantees, could be justified as a reasonable hedge. It takes into account the upside afforded by his elite talent and versatility, while being held to a reasonable level of risk given that he has played only 51% of possible career games.

Would the Jets be willing to take a shot on AVT for $12.8 million?

Only they know that answer, but given the Jets’ plethora of needs outside of the offensive line, they may be inclined to fill their left guard spot in a cheaper and safer manner. Wyatt Teller and David Edwards are intriguing fits who might be less expensive, even if their upside isn’t as high. The Jets could also save plenty of money by re-signing John Simpson, whom Spotrac expects to make $6.3 million per year.

As for much-discussed running back Breece Hall, Spotrac estimates a salary of $10.4 million. This would currently rank ninth among running backs. It is a fair value for Hall’s on-field impact; in 2025, he ranked seventh at the position with 241 yards over expected.

If this is Hall’s true market value (which may not be the case; this is just a prediction), the Jets may be hesitant to use a tag on Hall. The franchise tag is worth $14.5 million for running backs, over $4 million higher than Hall’s market value. There is also the option of the transition tag, which is priced at $11.7 million. Either way, the Jets would be overpaying Hall compared to his market value.

Again, though, that depends on what his market value actually is. Spotrac could be undervaluing him. Hall is only 24 years old and has yet to play in an ideal offensive situation; teams may value him as a top-three back moving forward.

Other fascinating predictions include Quincy Williams ($9.2 million) and Tony Adams ($6.5 million).

Williams’ mark would make him much too expensive for a Jets team that is already paying Jamien Sherwood a $15 million salary at the linebacker position. Adams’ mark would make him a starting safety somewhere, which a recent report indicated is the type of interest he may command.

Ultimately, these are mere predictions. Any free agent is subject to vastly exceeding or falling short of them.

Still, as we evaluate the Jets’ options heading into free agency, it’s nice to have some numbers to use as a baseline.